The present invention generally relates to privacy and masking systems, and more specifically, to systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer program products that utilize cognitive widgets and user interface (UI) components configured and arranged to preserve privacy and security.
There are several situations in which a computer system user will need to enter private information at a UI of a computer device. For example, computer systems can include user authentication mechanisms that require the user to enter at a UI authentication credentials (e.g., a username and a password) to access the computer system. As another example, some form-based authentication interfaces require a user to enter at a UI private items and/or personal data (e.g., passwords, usernames, social security numbers, addresses, credit card numbers etc.). There are various mechanisms for preventing unauthorized persons from viewing such private items and/or personal data on a UI of the computer device. One mechanism is to entirely cover on the UI the data that is entered by the user into particular fields. Another mechanism is to briefly display on the UI a character that is entered into a field. Another mechanism is to give a user a choice to either display or not display the private items and/or personal data.